8th commandment - thou shall not steal.

I'm curious. How many of the folks on cross-wire have ever broken the 8th commandment?

Do you mean how many will admit it? I'm not proud of it but I have stolen. Back in the day, when I was in the military, we would "liberate" items. As I got older and wiser I realized that it was just plain stealing. Now if I happen to pick up a pen that doesn't belong to be I feel terrible.

I will come clean. When I was about 7 or 8. Sometime in the 60's I stole a Case pocket knife from the small country hardware store near our farm. A couple days later mom found it, and new exactly where it came from. She marched me right to the store, and made me apoligize to Sam, and return the knife. I think they had already plotted against me. I had to sweep the store, and take out trash for a week after school. I worked off more than the price of the knife, and still didn't get it. Sam put it right back in the display case. Sam never held it against me, and we were friends right until his passing in 94. I have never taken anything that did NOT belong to me since.

like georgeky, i learned my lesson while young, now i even try to give back a cold if i take one.

Every time I look at another woman, I steal from my wife. Every time I'm angry with my wife, I steal from her. Every time I'm not affectionate, I steal from my wife.

Everytime I drift off in a daydream at work, I steal from my employer. Every time I check my civilian email at work, I steal from my employer. Every time I spend too much time getting a cup of tea, I steal....

There are too many examples in my life to list.

Just where is that line drawn (not that I'd do any better...)?

Of course. Plus all the other nine.

...
Just where is that line drawn (not that I'd do any better...)?


Our pastor has been preaching through the ten commandments. His latest sermon on "thou shalt not steal" referenced some survey he found where 90% of confessing "evangelicals" reported they have never broken the 8th commandment. I found that quite extraordinary.

I asked the question just to sample a cross section of opinions. It seems that each of us draws the line differently. Yet, so far, everyone admits to having broken the 8th commandment at least once.

Anybody else?

I don't see how anyone who is human could say they have never stolen. Please don't take me wrong I'm not judging anyone but it seems to me that when you sin in any way you are stealing from God. Thats my take on it.

They've also just broken the one about not lying. That's two.

Blackhawk sum'd it up perfectly for me as well. The points he mentioned are the ones I have the most trouble with.

I've broken each and every one but I've (we've) been cleansed by our Lord's blood that he willingly shed for me (us). A day doesn't go by that I don't slip. I imagine that I am not alone here. I even forget to tell him that enough!

God bless each of you,
Greg

Blackhawk sum'd it up perfectly for me as well. The points he mentioned are the ones I have the most trouble with.

I've broken each and every one but I've (we've) been cleansed by our Lord's blood that he willingly shed for me (us). A day doesn't go by that I don't slip. I imagine that I am not alone here. I even forget to tell him that enough!

God bless each of you,
Greg

I agree that we all fall short. I redid my post because I wanted to make sure I wrote our Lord Jesus' saying properly. "Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. The spirit is ready, but the flesh is weak." God bless us all.

Are we not blessed beyond measure that God's grace is forever. I would like just one day on this earth when I could say that I am worthy of God's mercy.

Our pastor has been preaching through the ten commandments. His latest sermon on "thou shalt not steal" referenced some survey he found where 90% of confessing "evangelicals" reported they have never broken the 8th commandment. I found that quite extraordinary.

I asked the question just to sample a cross section of opinions. It seems that each of us draws the line differently. Yet, so far, everyone admits to having broken the 8th commandment at least once.

Anybody else?

Yep - the 8th commandment and the rest as well.

Sure hope they don't survey the same bunch asking about the 9th :rolleyes:

Sure I have, and each time that I have in some way like time from my employer etc... yes it gets down to the nitty gritty, just ask God's forgiveness for that. I'm not saying keep on committing that sin, but ask for forgiveness each time that you do.

Well. It's interesting to find that all have admitted to stealing at least once.

I think God's standards of obeying the 8th commandment is quite a bit higher than our own. For example, in Malachi 3 God accuses the Israelites of robbing him by failure to bring the whole tithe into his house. I try to give a portion of all my earnings to the Lord but I must admit there have been about a gazillion times in my life when I've willfully failed at this. I think things like being wasteful, stingey, lazy, greedy, and careless are also ways to break the 8th commandment. I think I break the 8th commandment several times per day, as a matter of fact.

Here's what the Westminster Confession says about the 8th commandment. I agree with many here that see commandments as much more extensive than they may first appear.

Q. 140. Which is the eighth commandment?
A. The eighth commandment is, Thou shalt not steal.

Q. 141. What are the duties required in the eighth commandment?
A. The duties required in the eighth commandment are, truth, faithfulness, and justice in contracts and commerce between man and man; rendering to every one his due; restitution of goods unlawfully detained from the right owners thereof; giving and lending freely, according to our abilities, and the necessities of others; moderation of our judgments, wills, and affections concerning worldly goods; a provident care and study to get, keep, use, and dispose these things which are necessary and convenient for the sustentation of our nature, and suitable to our condition; a lawful calling, and diligence in it; frugality; avoiding unnecessary lawsuits, and suretiship, or other like engagements; and an endeavor, by all just and lawful means, to procure, preserve, and further the wealth and outward estate of others, as well as our own.

Q. 142. What are the sins forbidden in the eighth commandment?
A. The sins forbidden in the eighth commandment, besides the neglect of the duties required, are, theft, robbery, man-stealing, and receiving anything that is stolen; fraudulent dealing, false weights and measures, removing landmarks, injustice and unfaithfulness in contracts between man and man, or in matters of trust; oppression, extortion, usury, bribery, vexatious lawsuits, unjust enclosures and depredation; engrossing commodities to enhance the price; unlawful callings, and all other unjust or sinful ways of taking or withholding from our neighbor what belongs to him, or of enriching ourselves; covetousness; inordinate prizing and affecting worldly goods; distrustful and distracting cares and studies in getting, keeping, and using them; envying at the prosperity of others; as likewise idleness, prodigality, wasteful gaming; and all other ways whereby we do unduly prejudice our own outward estate, and defrauding ourselves of the due use and comfort of that estate which God hath given us.

Wow, that's good Kart. I need to read the rest of the Westminster Confession I think, that's more complete than any messages I've heard on the topic.

It's a pretty intense document - a good condensation of the major themes in the bible. There's lots of copies of it on-line. You can get a copy with the scripture proofs so you can check to see if that's what the bible really says.